Coupling.



No. 759,270. V PATENTED MAY 10, 1904. T. J. GRIER.

COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1903. .110 MODEL. 2 smnws-smm 1.

atbormuv No. 759,270.' PATENTED MAY 10, 1904. T. J. GRIER.

GOUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED mag, 1903. no MODEL. 2 snms-snnm 2.

wiwmoey Q UNITED STATES Patented May 10, 1904.

THOMAS J. GRIER, OF WVEST PALMBEACH, FLORIDA.

COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,270, dated May-10,1904.

Application filed August 4;, 1903. Serial No. 168,219. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. GRIER, a citizen of the United States,residing at West Palmbeach, in the county of Dade and State of Florida,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couplings; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in couplings; and it consists ofcertain features of novelty hereinafter described and claimed.

The main object of my invention is to prolong the life and usefulness ofthe coupling by providing a simple but durable and effective means oftaking up the wear caused by frequent coupling and uncoupling, therebyin suring a more perfect union, and consequently a tighter joinder, ofthe male and female members.

Although I have shown my invention as applied to a hose-pipe, it will beunderstood that I do not limit its application to such use, as it willbe readily apparent that it might be used in many other connections.

To more fully describe the invention, refer ence is had to theaccompanying drawings, in Which like letters designate the same parts inthe several views, and in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation ofmy device coupling two sections of a hose or train pipe; Fig. 2, acentral longitudinal section looking from the bottom of Fig. 1, butshowing the cam connections and operating-lever in elevation; Fig. 3, aside elevation of the male member, partly in section, to show connectionwith hose-pipe; Fig. 4, an end view of the female member, showing theoperating lever raised at right angles thereto, in bottom plan; and Fig.5 is an end view of the male member.

A designates the male member of the coupling provided with the exteriorannular rib B and the annular cut-away ends O and D. A

short distance from the rib B are located a plurality ofannularly-disposed lugs a, preferably cut away, as at a, on their facenear- These lugs a form, with the est the rib B.

'O of the male member.

rib B, a substantially annular recess to receive the pivoted end of theoperating or locking lever,hereinafter described. The cut-away portionof the end O is also provided with a plurality of eircumferentially-extending wedge-shaped lugs c, beveled longitudinally on their innerfaces, as at c.

E designates the stationary portion of the female member provided withthe cut-away end F and interior annular recess Ur, which latter isadapted to receive a suitable packing-gasket H, against Which is forcedthe end of the cut-away portion O of the male member when forced home.

The hose-sections I I are held in position over the cut-away portions FD by suitable bands J andclamping means 7'.

K is a sleeve loosely surrounding the stationary part E and forms amovable part of the female member. This movable sleeve K projects at oneend beyond the stationary member E and forms therewith a second interiorrecess L at the coupling endof the female member.

Formed integrally with the sleeve K are the inwardly-projectingwedge-shaped lugs Zr, inclined on their rear faces k and. curved ontheir inner faces 7:: to receive the reduced end These lugs, like thelugs 0, are annularly disposed relatively to their supporting membersand are oppositely disposed relatively to each other, alternating withthe recesses 72, which latter receive the lugs c as the male member isinserted in the female member. .he rear faces 0 k of the lugs c and 71in addition to being inclined longitudinally may also be slightlybeveled transversely, if desired, as shown in Fig. 2, which would insurea more perfect union of these parts.

The movable sleeve K is slotted on each side, as at M M, to receive theeccentric cams N N. These eccentric cams N N are pivotally supported onthe pivot-bolts a a, securely screwed into the stationary member E. Thepivot-bolts 91 a are disposed diametrically opposite each other, whichallows the yoke to be operated from either side.

O is a yoke-lever the arms of which, 0 0,

are suitably bent or shaped to conform with the contour of the couplingmembers and which are secured at their free ends to the eccentric camsin any suitable way. The cams and yoke lever, however, are preferablyformed integral, as illustrated, the point of joinder of the arms andthe cams being preferably cut away, as at m m, for lightness andneatness. 7

P is a semicylindrical band pivotally supported by the opposite ends ofthe arms of the yoke-lever and is adapted to rest in the recess behindthe lugs when the coupling is locked and which may be turned on itspivots to assume the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 when thecoupling is unlocked. To further lock the yoke-lever, this band P may,if desired,be pressed beneath the projecting ledge or recess a of thelugs a.

It might be stated here that the lugs a are preferably alternatelydisposed relatively to the lugs 0, so that when the male member is givena half-turn in the female member to initially lock the coupling one ofthe lugs a will be in the proper position relatively to the band P.

The operation of the device is as follows: In order to couple themembers, the yoke-lever should be swung back to the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 1, when the cam-face of the cams N N will haveengaged the front wall of the slot M and shoved the sleeve K forward. Inthis position the reduced end C of the male member is inserted withinthe recess G of the female member, the wedgeshaped lugs 0 fitting withinthe recess k and the inner curved face of the lugs in embracing thecylindrical surface of the reduced end C. WVhen thus inserted and thecoupling is still in the unlocked position, the male member is given ahalf-turn to the right or the female member a half-turn to the left,when the inclined faces 0 of the lug 0 will engage thesimilarly-inclined faces is of the lugs k, thus initially locking thetwo members together. This half-turn of the two members relatively toeach other will bring the lug a in proper position for the reception ofthe band P of the yoke-handle, and when locking the parts more firmlytogether this yokehandle is now swung around on its pivots n a, when thecam-surface of the eccentrics N N will engage the rear walls of theslots M M and force the sleeve K outwardly on the stationary member E,thus drawing the male member inwardly in closer contact with the femalemember, thus the end of the reduced portion C being forced tightlyagainst the packing-gasket H.

It will be understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the exactdetails illustrated, as it is obvious that many modifications might bemade without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I wish itdistinctly understood that I do not limit the application of my improvedcoupling to a hose or train pipe.

IV hat I claim is 1. In a coupling, the combination with the femalemember comprising a stationary portion and a projecting sleeve movablelongitudinally thereon, of a male member adapted to be inserted in theprojecting end of said sleeve and initially locked thereon, and meansfor operating said sleeve rearwardly to draw the ends of the male memberand the stationary portion of the female member together and forwardlyto push them apart, comprising a lever pivoted to said stationaryportion provided with means thereon adapted to engage and slide saidsleeve when operated.

2. In a coupling, the combination with the female member comprising astationary portion and a projecting sleeve movable longitudinallythereon, of a male member adapted to be inserted in the projecting endof said sleeve and initially locked thereon, and means for operatingsaid sleeve rearwardly to draw the ends of the male member and thestationary portion of the female member together and forwardly to pushthem apart, comprising a lever pivoted to said stationary portionprovided with cam mechanism thereon adapted to engage and slide saidsleeve when operated.

3. In a coupling, the combination with the female member comprising astationary portion and a projecting sleeve movable longitudinallythereon, of a male member adapted to be inserted in the projecting endof said sleeve and initially locked thereon, and means for operatingsaid sleeve rearw ardly to draw the ends of the male member and thestationary portion of the female member together and forwardly to pushthem apart, comprising a yoke-lever pivoted to said stationary portion,and carrying cams in operative engagement with said movable sleeve.

4:. In a coupling, the combination with the female member, comprising astationary portion and a projecting sleeve, provided with slots in theside walls, movable longitudinally thereon, of a male member adapted tobe inserted in the projecting end of said sleeve and initially lockedtherein, and means for operating said sleeve rearwardly to draw the endof the male member in close contact with the end of the stationaryportion of the female member and forwardly to disengage said ends,comprising a yoke-lever pivoted to said stationary portion, and carryingcams engaging the rear and front walls of the slots of said sleeve whenoperated.

5. In a coupling, the combination with the female member comprising astationary portion and a projecting sleeve, provided with slots in itsside walls, movable longitudinally thereon, of a male member adapted tobe inserted in the projecting end of said sleeve and initiall y lockedtherein, and means for operating waste said sleeve rearwardly to drawthe ends of the male member and the stationary portion of the femalemember together and forwardly to push them apart, comprising ayoke-lever having enlarged cam portions pivoted eccentrically on thestationary portion and adapted to engage the rear and front walls of theslots of said sleeve when operated.

6. In a coupling, the combination with the female member, comprising astationary portion and a projecting sleeve movable longitudinallythereon, of a male member adapted to be inserted in the projecting endof said sleeve and initially locked therein, lugs on said male member,means for operating said sleeve rearwardly to draw the ends of the malemember and the stationary portion of the female member together andforwardly to push them apart, comprising a pair of levers pivoted tosaid stationary portion at each side thereof and provided with meansthereon adapted to engage and slide said sleeve when operated, and asemicylindrical band pivotally su )ported on the ends of said levers,adapted to snugly lit said male member behind said lugs when thecoupling is locked.

7. In a coupling, the combination with the female member, comprising astationary portion and a projecting sleeve movable longitudinallythereon, of a male member adapted to be inserted in the projecting endof said sleeve and initially locked therein, means for operating saidsleeve rearwardly to draw the ends of the male member and the stationaryportion of the female member together and forwardly to push them apart,comprising a lever pivoted to said stationary portion and provided withmeans thereon adapted to en gage and slide said sleeve when operated,and a packing-gasket interposed between the male member and thestationary portion of the female member. I

8. In a coupling, the combination with the female member comprising astationary por tion and a projecting sleeve, provided with slots,movable longitudinally thereon, of a male member adapted to be insertedin the projecting end of said sleeve, means for initially locking saidmembers comprising a plurality of lugs carried by said members andhaving inclined rear faces adapted to become engaged when the malemember is inserted and rotated within the female member, and means foroperating said sleeve rearwardly to draw the ends of the male and thestationary portion of the female member together and forwardly to pushthem apart, comprising a yoke-lever having enlarged cam portions pivotedeccentrically on the stationary portion and adapted to engage the rearand front walls of the slots of said sleeve when operated.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS J. GRIER. WVitnesses:

G. (J. QmLmNmvoR'rn,

(lrno. (Jr. (JURRIE.

